The Sacrifice
by Edward'sChipper
Summary: Winner of The Softer Side of Villainy Contest.  She is a mystery to him.  He holds the key to her Love, her life.  He must understand.  She must find a way.  A VERY different alternate ending to BD.


Name of OS: The Sacrifice

"Entry for The Softer Side of Villainy Contest"

Summary: She is a mystery to him, but he must understand. He holds the key to her Love, her life, what could she possibly offer in exchange? A VERY different alternate ending to BD.

Pairing: Esme/Aro

Word Count: 8097

Rating: MA

Disclaimer: I own nothing Twilight, but this? Oh, _this_ twisted wretchedness is all mine.

AN: To my Pufferfish HammerHips, who encouraged me, dropped everything amidst Thanksgiving prep to read this, and who is soooooo full of awesomeness, the word awesomeness isn't big enough. Also for JaspersIzzy, who read…squicked...but read, and still lurrves me (I think) and my twisted wickedness. Without both of their help, this wouldn't be what it is. I flove you both.

* * *

Rachmaninoff, Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Op 18: Moderato

Aro sat in the chair, _his_ chair, on the dais, waiting for word on his new guests. It had been rather simple really, obtaining that for which he had travelled halfway around the world. He knew that the coven that had been a thorn in his side for too long would relinquish their fight once all hope had been vanquished.

Seeing at first their sheer number had been quite troublesome of course, not to mention the added surprise of having an army of wolves at their disposal. If he could still remember the feeling of a shudder, he might have done so upon witnessing their appearance. Only seeing it for himself would have ever made him believe it. Vampires and wolves on the same side, working together – it was a travesty to his whole empire.

They had been overconfident. Isabella Swan's - the _new_ Mrs. Isabella Cullen - surprise talent hadn't been enough.

He smiled to himself.

The wolves had been dispatched by the guard, one-by-one, until the others had been commanded to retreat by one Jasper Whitlock. While his military intelligence was legendary, he had not foreseen the strategy of the guard, or the hidden expertise of the witnesses that had volunteered to join them. As far as Aro knew, only one wolf remained and only because he saw fit to run like a coward with the child on his back.

It was only a matter of time until the child would be in Aro's company as well.

Once their leader and his good _friend_, Carlisle, saw the capture of his mate by the loyal Demetri, it was like a house of cards: the Cullens laying down in surrender, offering themselves in her stead. It had been all too easy, once the fair Esme was captured, and the steadfast Carlisle Cullen realized the potentiality of the situation.

Join us in Volterra, or watch his mate burn.

He had hoped to bring the others, the empath and his mate, and the now Mr. & Mrs. Edward Cullen. However, Aro was a patient man. After all, he had released them that first time, before Isabella was even turned. A gift, as he'd like to call it, sensing the tremendous possibilities that the mere human at the time would offer once she joined their world. Oh, and he knew she would, whether it would be by the weak and lovelorn Edward, or Aro himself.

So Aro bided his time, waiting for the opportunity, until he had received word of the child.

The child was the perfect excuse to pay a visit, and it had been the opportunity that Aro had waited for. The Cullens, even in their display of unity, forethought, and talented friends, had not foreseen their one weakness, but Aro knew it could be exploited: the inexplicable way they actually _cared _for one another. An emotion Aro now found utterly useless undoubtedly carried over as some way of keeping some semblance of their humanness.

Once the battle had broken out, their ranks reduced, and key coven members rendered ineffectual or eliminated, it had been all too easy. The witnesses that he brought with him were some of the most talented fighters in the realm, a secret group that he himself had brought together for just this purpose.

The Cullens never saw them coming.

While the loss of Alec had been a difficult one for he cherished him as his own son, the wolf that had been responsible - the beast's name was Sam - had been disposed of by one of the guards.

Yes, now, with his two new guests, things were about to get more…interesting.

He was still lost in his thoughts as Demetri approached. "The guests are now in their quarters."

"Good, good. I trust you have made Carlisle's accommodations appropriate to his subversion and treason?"

"Yes, he is one of the lower holding rooms. His refusal to drink what he is offered has made him even weaker."

"And the fair Esme?"

"She has been placed as you requested."

Aro absentmindedly licked his bottom lip. "Yes, thank you Demetri. I believe I shall pay her a visit now, to make sure that her accommodations are to her liking. She will, after all, be with us for quite a while."

Demetri merely nodded his head as Aro rose from his throne.

"Oh, and Demetri see to it that the animal blood is brought to her upon its arrival. I want her made as comfortable as possible in the interim."

Again, Demetri nodded.

"Aro, is it wise to be toying with the bait so soon?" Marcus asked, still in his seat.

"I am not toying, dearest brother, merely…unearthing what will most undoubtedly prove to be highly useful information." With one last glance at his brother, Aro turned his back, his cape swirling a path behind him. He had every intention of gathering the intelligence that would lead him to his most coveted members of the Cullen coven. As he exited the room and was out of sight, he quickened his pace. For some unknown reason, he was more eager for this meeting than he had even realized. There was something about this woman, Esme, that did more than just intrigue him. Upon Esme's arrival, Sulpicia had notified him that she was leaving the compound for a last minute trip to the Greek Isles with other members of the house. Whether or not the arrival and departure were related, he didn't know. Nor did he care.

Aro slowly rubbed his hands together as he wound his way down the halls to Esme's quarters. He had always wanted the opportunity for a conversation with this woman, the mate who had captured Carlisle's attention and…affection.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Esme clutched at the velvet beneath her fingers trying hard not to panic. The bed she sat upon was rather ironic in a place such as this. She wondered what its purpose was, and for only a moment, allowed her mind to wander.

She stood up immediately, shocked at where her thoughts took her, and proceeded to distract herself with a study of her surroundings.

A rather large bathroom adjoined the room, complete with a claw-footed tub, and separate marble shower. A dark oak desk sat against the closest wall, a rather monstrous thing, complete with chair. The entire room was a very dark, fine wood paneling, she guessed mahogany, but wasn't sure. The bed linens were a rather tasteless deep red velvet with red satin underneath – a color and combination she would have never picked. An armoire sat against the opposite wall, next to an opulent vanity. She crept over to it more out of curiosity than wanting to view her disheveled state. Strewn over the top of it were various feminine accoutrements: a matching hairbrush, comb, and mirror of gold, a tray of bottles and perfumes, all with a large mirror behind it. As she reached it, she caught a glimpse of herself, causing her to gasp. Her hand went to her mouth as she stared at herself, her hair all askew, her face muddied, her clothes torn. She had been to battle and back.

No, she hadn't made it back. She would never _be_ allowed to go back. She would never see them again, her children, her husband.

_Oh, Carlisle. _

She turned away from the vision of herself and sat down hard on the bench in front of the vanity, while the events of that night replayed again and again. All of those poor boys, the wolves, who had given their lives for her family, all of their friends, Eleazar, Carmen, Garrett, Kate, the Romanians, all of them gone. Anyone else still standing had scattered once Jasper had given the signal.

The signal of defeat.

Carlisle had not wanted bloodshed and death, thinking that reasoning and the wolves would be enough of a deterrent. That and the fact that little Renesmee was in fact not a turned child, but a beautiful and sweet representation of the love that was between her parents.

Her dearest children. Where had they gone, what had they done? What they must be thinking now. At least she knew for sure that Jacob had escaped with Renesmee, for she had seen him go. Little Renesmee, clinging to his back, Esme's dead heart died once more realizing she may never see her granddaughter again.

She only hoped that they were all safe and together, forgetting about Carlisle and her. It was as Carlisle had suggested they do before they took him away. It was the last thing she had heard before Jane's torture had taken her under. She had seen none of their faces before she left. She didn't even know who had been left standing in the field.

Her eyes wandered the opulent room - the dark wood, the canopied bed, the red linens, the flickering candles - and a sudden thought came into her head so out of character for her she was amazed she had even thought it. She stood up and walked to the armoire, flinging open its doors, taking in its contents. Only two ensembles hung inside: a deep red satin negligee, mid-thigh length with lace and beading along the décolleté and a matching robe, and a simple ivory-colored floor-length silk one also with matching robe. The red one was gaudy and overdone, and she moved it from view instantly. The ivory one, however, was more to her taste with a plunging neckline and a slit up to her thigh on the side.

The use of this room was as she expected, and as she fingered the smooth ivory fabric, her plan began to take form. If she wanted to see her family again, she had to use every weapon she had, and being held in this room gave her only one option. Realizing what she needed to do, she gently removed the ensemble from the hangers, and walked toward the bathroom. She needed to be strong. She needed to hide her accepted defeat and use what she had to perhaps persuade someone, anyone. Carlisle was being held somewhere and she was his only hope. It went against everything she believed in, everything that she held dear, but if it was the only thing she could offer, the only thing she could sacrifice, she would do it.

For her family.

For Carlisle.

She steeled herself to the possibility that once Aro and the Volturi had what they needed from both her and Carlisle, they might both be eliminated. But if she played her cards right, she might just be able to gain access to Carlisle, one last time. She really didn't believe they would ever make it out of Volterra, and she hoped her children would realize this and go on without them both. Whatever Aro wanted with Carlisle, she didn't know, but she hoped whatever it was, and whatever would happen with her evolving plan, it began and ended with the her and Carlisle.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Aro dismissed the guard with a flick of his hand as he approached the door. He hesitated momentarily as a feeling of anticipation stirred within him, anticipation on the wings of excitement. Why the woman on the other side of this door created such feelings within him he did not know, but longed to find out. The door's handle firmly in his hand, he suddenly paused and thought twice about turning it and barging in. He was accustomed to entering a room without permission, without acknowledging the approval of anyone on the other side, but something told him that the woman in this room had been raised with a modicum of decorum and decided that knocking first might be appreciated, if not welcomed.

He rapped his knuckles twice unassumingly.

"Come in." A soft voice directed from inside the room, softer than a feather, but with a subtle strength behind it that he found rather…entrancing.

He pushed the handle and opened the door with a flourish. "Mrs. Cullen, my dear, I…" He stopped mid-thought, as his eyes came upon her, sitting at the vanity, the brush halfway down her fair hair. But it wasn't even this action that had him nearly stutter as if he were still human.

It was what she had chosen to wear.

He quickly recovered. "I see you found the clothes kept in the armoire." He mused, trying to keep his voice clear of the turbulence that was brewing inside him, but his calm gaze transformed into an obvious appreciation as she gingerly laid the brush down and turned toward him. She had chosen the floor-length ivory gown with matching robe, but she had not seen fit to close the robe properly. As she turned, Aro was able to catch a glimpse of the roundness of her breast, as the deep v of the top pulled away and his gratitude shot a path right to his loins.

"Yes, it was one of only two options and red isn't really one of my favorites." Esme replied as calmly as she could. She hadn't realized it would be Aro himself who she saw first, anticipating a lesser member of the guard to visit her. She had guessed wrong, and tried desperately to hide her nervousness.

Feeling a bit mystified by his reaction, Aro attempted to avert his gaze by turning to shut the door behind him and then treading to the center of the room, stopping in front of the bed. The sight of her had set off something inside of him, something he had not felt in centuries. He had seen plenty of breasts over the years, his wife's often if not regularly, but the view of Esme had afforded just enough where his mind now toyed with cupping the soft skin of its underside, or feeling the peak of her nipple as his thumb lightly grazed it. He hid his grin as the image grew into more, and his momentary glance at the bed before he turned back to her wasn't just for his benefit.

Esme's eyes followed him, rising to her feet to stand just next to the bench where she was sitting. As he finally turned to her, his eyes roamed from her bare feet, up over her soft curves, hesitating slightly on her breasts, her nipples undoubtedly clearly visible through the thin fabric. His silence was complete and deafening as he sized up his latest acquisition. She was no good at this game and she knew it already. She could have just remained in her previous clothes rather than attempting to be some wanton seductress. But it was the only thing that had come to mind that she could do for Carlisle, to see him one last time. But now that Aro was standing before her, drinking her in with his eyes, her nerve slowly ebbed. She started to realize that what she had thought would be a plan, might be the worst idea ever.

"It's quite becoming on you, the color I mean." Aro finally found his tongue. "Red would simply be," he stopped to flourish his hand, "too much in this room. It would swallow you whole." He said what instantly came to mind as she stood up and before him, the view magnificent as his eyes swept over ever inch of her. "I like how you now stand out against it." He meant every word.

"Thank you. While I appreciate the flattery, it's quite evident that my stay here is involuntary. Perhaps you'd like to give me a hint as to what your plans are for me," she hesitated slightly, "and Carlisle." As soon as the name slipped her lips, she watched his countenance change and feared she had made a mistake in being so bold.

"Carlisle is being held elsewhere for other purposes." The name of Carlisle came across her lips and with it a moment of clarity. If Aro hadn't already been a lifeless creature, it surely would have turned his blood cold.

"He's still alive then?" Esme took a step forward, sensing the change in his demeanor, but needing the information, if only for the sake of knowing whether or not her efforts were warranted.

Aro crossed his arms in front of him, his head dropping slightly if only not to see her face. "Yes, for now."

Esme hung on the words, trying to remain calm and unaffected, but surely he could see how the news uplifted her. "I see. And your plans for us?"

"I plan on showing you a good dose of my hospitality, Mrs. Cullen." Aro quickly replied, and the vision of just what he'd suddenly wanted to show her played in his mind as his eyes moved to the bed, seeing her bare skin lying across it as he worked his lips from her ankles upward. He nearly drew in a breath as the vision stunned him.

"Please, do call me Esme." In a hushed voice, she coerced, and took two more steps forward. She wasn't sure if she could get any closer to him, standing just two feet from him now.

"Esme, then." Aro smiled in response as she brought his attention back, their eyes meeting and holding for what seemed like an eternity to Esme.

A knock on the door broke the spell.

"Enter." Aro commanded, looking perturbed, as the fair-haired man who had been in the field entered. Esme noticed he was carrying a tray with an intricately carved silver pitcher and one goblet.

"Thank you, Demetri." Demetri immediately bowed and went back through the door. The resounding click of a lock was louder than if it had been the firing of a gun.

"Please, I had this brought in for you. It's local and some form of deer. I think you'll find it to your liking." Aro hoped it would be of her liking, because for some reason he wanted to please her, or perhaps he wanted her to be pleased with _him_. He was all of a sudden confused, his thoughts jumbled, as he saw the surprise on her face.

Esme looked at the tray now on the desk and then back at Aro. "But…but why? You are only going to-"

Aro didn't let her finish. "You are my guest, dearest Esme. I like to treat guests with some form of hospitality, even in the most difficult of circumstances. Please, do have some." He watched the look of wonderment on her face as she glanced once more at his offering, and then at him. He couldn't help to notice the way the candlelight played off her hair as her head turned to and fro. He wanted to touch it, to run his hand down its long lengths and feel it softness.

"Well, alright. Thank you." Esme said, looking in his eyes as she passed him.

Aro moved out further so as to not impede her progress nor become too close to her. He didn't know why she was having this affect on him. He watched her face as she poured the blood into the goblet, her eyes as she lifted it to her lips, the sides of her throat as the liquid journeyed down. Her eyes met his over the rim of it and something happened, something that didn't feel right, but felt more than right. Something had passed between them, he was sure of it, and his response had been nearly instantaneous – he'd become aroused.

"Esme," Aro began, turning his back to her to keep his current state from view and walking a few steps from her. All of sudden he felt shy and it confused him immensely. He was Aro, ruler of the Vampire world, keeper of the Law, more powerful than any being walking the earth, and yet this woman in front of him, this _vampire_, made him want to feel…otherwise. "I find myself in a rather precarious position."

Esme put the goblet back down on the tray, summoning her strength, and walked closer to Aro, stopping a few feet in front of him again. "Oh? And why is that?" She feigned innocence, gazing up into his face. As much as she could, she was trying to keep the steady display of confidence she had fought to keep since Aro had come into the room. Her nearness seemed to disturb him, and she started to get hopeful once again.

Only after several long seconds did Aro finally turn so he could see her face, and those golden eyes staring back at him. They held his, whether in fear or something else he didn't know. But he could no longer look at her. He walked to the door without another word, yelling for the guard and taking his leave.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

As Aro descended the steps that would carry him to his prisoner, the anger welled up within him. The confusion that he felt by the woman in that room, by Esme, whittled away at his confidence and this was a feeling he did not like at all.

He reached the cell and demanded his guards open it in a tone equal to his mood. Upon their opening the door, he entered and there sitting against the wall, chained even though it was merely a formality, was the reason the woman upstairs was even in his house. At the time, she had just been the weakest link, the smallest thread to begin the unraveling of the coven of Cullen. As he stared ahead of him at the man he had once called friend, as much as he had any friends, his anger grew.

"Tell me where they've gone, Carlisle." Aro demanded. Carlisle merely lifted his head from where it had been hanging weakly upon his chest.

"I will never tell you a thing, Aro. You can do what you will to me, but you will never have my family." It was just above a low growl, and the strength it took to say it lowered his head again onto his chest.

"We shall see. You forget I have your mate as well. Something tells me she will be easier to…break."

"Don't you lay a hand on her." Carlisle whispered this time, unable to raise his head.

"You are in no position to give orders, dear friend. In your state, I would imagine it would become very wise to take a little of the sustenance I offer, or you will leave your mate with no one to fend for her." Aro grinned to him, although the grin didn't come with ease at it would normally. The thought of the woman upstairs alone and defenseless touched something in him, and he noticeably shook his head to make it disappear.

Carlisle's head slowly rose with what strength he had left, falling back against the wall behind him. "Esme would rather me die than bow to you."

"That can be arranged." Aro pronounced, frustrated with his friend's stubbornness. "Consider yourself, Carlisle. You do your family no good if you are erased from this earth. All of this can disappear if they come to me: Edward, Isabella, Jasper, and Alice. Just a visit from them will make this all go away." Aro punctuated by outstretching his hand toward the cell and the chains that held Carlisle. "You and Esme are free to leave, once they are here. It's really that simple."

Carlisle shook his head weakly back and forth. "Never. You can keep me, but let her go, Aro. She has no powers, nothing for you to keep her here. She is a gentle woman, with no stomach for torture. Please, if our friendship ever meant anything to you, do this last thing for me."

Aro looked upon his friend, the once high and mighty Carlisle Cullen, who in some moment of weakness or perhaps stupidity had gone against the Law, gone against the very nature of what he was. Who had taken it upon himself to solicit more to join his coven, a coven now which looked more like an army to Aro, rather than just a _family_ as Carlisle put it. An army that given the opportunity, might overthrow the Volturi, a real possibility that Aro could not let happen.

"I'm afraid, Carlisle, that is a request I can no longer permit." With that, Aro looked upon his friend for the last time, the door opening without command.

"Goodbye, Carlisle," Aro said over his shoulder with more determination than he felt. As he walked through the door and back toward the stairs, the finality of the statement did not sit well with him.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Aro began the trek back to the upper floors at a considerably slower pace than he had descended. He did not like to question himself, nor feel like he had more than one purpose in mind, but that was exactly what he was feeling. His once friend now withered away on the dungeon floor, that friend's mate now ensconced in a well-appointed guest room. He should be elated; delighted that soon he would rid himself of the thorn, the _thorns_ that had twisted like brambles in his side.

But he wasn't.

What was it about these Cullens that made them so loyal, so absolute, so set in their willingness to die for each other without the threat of pain or punishment keeping them together?

He had to know and there was only one person who could make him understand.

As he brushed passed the guard who had thrown open the door at his hastened arrival, he came upon her, sitting on the edge of the bed, face in her hands. He knew she wasn't capable of it, but the thought of a tear flowing down the soft skin of her cheek tugged at something he thought had been long dead.

"Esme." Aro took one more step into the room, his hand reached out as if to comfort her and then he quickly brought it back. He knew what would happen the minute it met her cheek or any other part of her, and his fingers clenched in his palm as he fought against everything he _was_, uncertain of just why he was fighting against it.

Esme had been remembering happier times, of all the moments that she had shared with Carlisle and her children. She thought that Aro would not return after his abrupt departure before, but now seeing him come through the door she realized it might be her last chance, so she slowly rose up from the bed, even more determined then before.

"Yes?" She answered, and he appeared instantly in front of her, his face uncomfortably close but not in a threatening way. There was a look of confusion, of intensity and need. A look quite different than the one he had left with.

"You must tell me. You must explain to me what it is, else I shall go mad." Aro's hands flew up as if he were going to grab her shoulders, but suddenly stopped, holding them mere inches from her, and then slowly lowering them to his side. "I want you to _show_ me, rather…rather than taking it from you. Do you understand?" He pleaded with her.

Esme studied his face, the empty and clouded red eyes that she had first seen. She had been frightened at first, yes, but now… he was begging her for something, and those same empty eyes seemed almost childlike in their wonder. He had changed since that last meeting, his confidence had eroded, and she suddenly felt a small dose of pity for him.

"I'm…I'm not sure I do."

"I want to understand this…" Aro's hands flew to the sides of her face and stopped suddenly inches from her. He held them there, staring into her eyes, before frustratingly lowering them once again. "…this way you have about you, how you…affect people around you – your coven, your _family_. The way you make them_ love_ you." Her mouth agape, a little oh escaped her lips. All he wanted to do was feel them against his own, not from power, not from force, but for her to come to him of her own volition.

Esme watched as his gaze went to her lips and something inside her said this was her last chance. "I'm not sure I can explain it, but I don't _make_ them love me, Aro. I love them more than is describable with words, but I attempt to show them, everyday, with words _and_ my actions." She leaned in further, glancing at his lips and then back into his eyes, wanting to take advantage of the moment.

Aro moved just an infinitesimal amount back from her, "Will you…show me, Esme? I…want you to _show_ me."

Esme couldn't believe what she was hearing and was sure the look on her face gave away her confusion.

"Esme, I will not…take you by force. Be with me, just this once, and tomorrow I will let you go free." The words flew from his lips and he did not know from where they had come. He hadn't intended on letting her go, ever, but it didn't matter. If she would agree, he knew he would keep his word. "Only if it is what you want. Only if you come of your own will, not to guarantee your release, but in that you want me. For only this night. Say that you do, Esme."

"I…" Esme's head fell back to gaze once again into his eyes. She had to make him believe, she had to make herself believe she could do this. "I…do want you."

"You realize the minute I touch you I will know you are lying." Aro freely admitted, but he no longer cared. He leaned in closer, tilting his head, his eyes once again on her smooth lips. "Once any part of us touches, I will see every thought in your head, every memory you have ever had."

"I know." Esme fully understood what he said and slowly began to raise one hand from her side. She was no longer afraid of him or what he might see. He had asked to understand and she would show him every memory she had, every moment in her arsenal, if that's what he wanted. If that's what it would take to get what _she _wanted.

Aro could feel her hand rising, reaching for his chest, and he could resist no longer. He lowered his head as she stood up on her toes and their lips met.

The memories came.

Moment after moment she gave him, of her and the rest of the Cullens. Playful banter, laughter, games, jokes, the way she looked at her children and they her.

Her hand slid up from his chest and behind his neck pulling him to her. Their lips parted synchronously, their tongues meeting and exploring, and wave upon wave of memory and emotion of hers poured into him. Oh, the sweetness of her, the taste of blood still in her mouth. Even though it was animal, the mixture of it and her own unique taste mingled together and intoxicated him.

Suddenly, her memories became a sole vision of Carlisle, the way that he was looking at her, and she him, and how she wanted to see him once more.

He couldn't help but gasp and pull away. He suddenly wanted to erase all memories of Carlisle from her mind. He wanted to rip them, and the thin material that shielded him now from the view of her body. When he had said he'd give her freedom, she had wanted to ask to see him, but was afraid. He tried to forget it, to wipe it from his mind, but the intention was there and he had seen it.

Esme knew he had seen Carlisle. The memory had risen up unbidden, and she had been unable to control it. She didn't want her memories of Carlisle to ever intermix with what had just happened, what she was about to do, but she had not intended to hurt Aro with it. His movement away from her told her that she had. She felt compelled to comfort him, and ran the back of her hand over his cheek pretending not to understand. "Aro? What is it?"

The sound of his name from her lips and the softness of her hand sent a ripple of lust through him, her touch like an iron brand. He had never felt anything close to it and was sure he wouldn't again. He forgot all about Carlisle and her intentions, because with her touch came a glimpse of the child, the child on her lap, bouncing and giggling, and the happiness of the moment was overwhelming.

"Esme, I …" Aro could no longer contain his desire, or the feelings that overpowered him when she touched him. His mouth sought hers once again, Carlisle be damned. The touch of her lips on his was like nothing he had ever known, and the gliding of their tongues brought yet again all the moments she held precious, or what seemed to be, as their flavor assaulted his mind, their tenderness reverberating through him.

Esme broke the kiss, and gained the courage to take step back. As she moved, she untied the sash of her robe and let it fall to the floor. She stared at him, willing herself to feel something, anything, as she pushed the thin straps from each of her shoulders and let the last vestige of fabric float down her body and land at her feet. Surprise overtook her embarrassment at the reverent way his eyes traveled her now nakedness, an article of his clothing removed with every inch his eyes explored. She tried to hold in her gasp as she took in his body, his hardness, knowing what he intended. She inhaled deeply not only for strength but to calm herself. She had only been with two men, her first husband and Carlisle. But it was the vulnerability of this one standing in front of her, the look on his face, his willingness to show a side that she knew no one had ever seen before, that finally spoke to her.

"Esme…"

"Shhh, don't say another word." As she stepped forward to him, she laid her hands on his chest, the chiseled pale skin beneath hers, running them up to his shoulders, bringing her mouth to his once again. "Put your hands on me, Aro." She asked through their joined lips.

Aro was so lost in her touch, the feel of her mouth on his, he almost didn't hear her. Her thoughts gave way once again, of Christmases and birthdays, of the simple way she moved, the gentle caress of her hand on one of their shoulders or cheeks, of her standing at Carlisle's side. He broke the kiss, looking at her once more. He didn't know why he wanted her approval, he didn't need it, but he knew he had to have it, and she had just given it to him. His right hand slowly rose from his side to find that soft underside of her breast that he had first glimpsed from the doorway. It was like silk to the touch, as he grazed her nipple with his thumb as she sharply inhaled in response.

"It's alright, Aro." She brought her hand to his as she backed away, pulling his hand and him toward the bed. "You said you wanted to understand. That _is _what you wanted to understand, isn't it? I'm giving myself to you, now, for them and for their future. For we both know you will never _really_ let me leave here. I want you to see what I'm giving up, what I'm letting go, and perhaps then you'll understand my sacrifice."

Aro watched as she slid her body back onto the bed, her hand now outstretched to him. "Now, come, let me show you more."

He couldn't comprehend, he couldn't fathom it anymore. All he knew is that he wanted to be buried deep inside this woman when she made him feel what all others felt around her when she touched them.

He knelt up on the end of the bed as she laid back, her knees bent, her legs spread inviting him in. He gazed at her in awe, as she prodded him with one final nod. He took her ankle in his hand and began running his lips along her skin, her calf, the inside of her thigh, just as he had envisioned, purposely avoiding at first the mound between her legs. He grew intent on eliminating from her mind the quick flashes she was trying to hide, moments with Carlisle that she didn't want him to see. So he licked and sucked over her stomach until he reached her breast, running his tongue over her nipple and then wrapping his lips around it, sucking it in his mouth.

Esme couldn't help but moan as his mouth went to her other breast, the fingers of his other hand skirting down over her stomach and between her legs. He slid them over her, rubbing her sensitive spot, until she felt them enter her.

Aro glanced up from where he had been at her breast, searching her face, her eyes, for any sign that he should stop. "Tell me I should stop, Esme." He said, moving his fingers in and out even as he spoke.

Esme reached for his head, pulling him to her, his hair tingling as it ran over her skin. "I won't, Aro." She raised her head from the bed, finding his lips once more, her tongue finding his. She tried to maintain her concentration on her family, the happier times, but moments with Carlisle seeped through. But the flashes faded as he ran his mouth down over her skin again, licking and sucking every inch of her, her mind set on what he was doing to her and the way he was making her feel. He grasped her behind, pulling her to him, as his tongue darted in and out of her center, sending wicked sensations through her and the distraction was too much.

Her taste was even sweeter here, at the apex of her womanhood, and Aro watched as her eyes closed and her memories faded into a vision of him between her thighs and the sensations he was giving her. He ran his tongue upward and over her folds, listening to her sighs and mewls, her hips rising to meet him, and he couldn't wait another moment to be inside her. Crawling one last time up her body, he watched her face as he placed himself at her entrance and then guided himself into her.

"Unnnh." Esme moaned, her eyes growing wide to gaze at his as he thrust all the way inside her. She tried not to think, to even remember her name, but to stay in the moment as Aro made her body respond to him. His thrusts were slow at first, almost as if he cared for her pleasure more than his own and it made her feel for him that much more.

Aro had never cared much before what his partner felt. But now, all he wanted to do was to make sure Esme would remember her one time with him, because he knew, even as his momentum increased, that all that mattered was her and this one moment. He knew that she was nearly ready, feeling her insides tensing around him.

"Aro, I…" Esme breathed, as Aro plunged deeper and harder into her.

"Esme, you are so…beautiful." Aro whispered, as he felt her come undone, her head flying back, her screams of ecstasy making his own release even more powerful than anything he had ever known before. Everything in her mind focused solely on him, on what he had made her feel. Even with his vampire strength, he felt spent, as he softly laid his head on her breast. Her mind replayed from the time she had beckoned him to bed, as her hand came up and softly caressed his head.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Aro leaned against the headboard as Esme straddled him, her head against his chest, thoughts of what they had done whirling in her head. Even though there was no window, no light, he knew the hours had flown by. He had taken her every way imaginable, willingly and reciprocally, and he still wanted more of her. He had tasted every inch of skin, and could now read her pleasure points like a treasure map. She had been as near a treasure as he had ever known, and he grew hard again inside her as her lips pressed once more against his skin, working there way up his neck back to his mouth. She moved languidly, her hips grinding in rhythm to her tongue, begging for his response. He couldn't say no to her, as he grasped the back of her head, his fingers winding in her hair, as his tongue met hers.

Suddenly, she left his lips, pushing herself upright with her hands, and a fleeting thought came into her head. She continued to rock, clenching herself around him. "Aro, may I make a request?" She whispered, as she ran her fingernails down over his chest and to his abdomen.

"Of course, my dear." Aro answered, but he already knew her request.

"Let me see him." She stopped moving. "Just once." She pleaded.

The request made out loud was like a stake through his long-dead heart. After all they had shared, after all she had given him, he was a complete fool to think that he would erase all thoughts of Carlisle from her mind. He sat up, his arm pulling her to him, and thrust inside her hard.

"You will see him," he thrust again, "as soon as I am through with you." With those words he clutched her hips, pulling her down as he plunged harder and deeper than he had yet to that night. All of her thoughts were now on him, as the scream that erupted from her lips rang louder than any previous one, and he didn't care if it was in pleasure pain. Even if it was in pain, in compared nothing to the pain that engulfed him as she came once more in his arms and he spilled the last time inside her.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Esme walked the steps down into what seemed like the depths of hell, a guard in front of her, and one behind. Aro had left her without another word, without even a kiss, after the last time, after she had made her request. She was making every attempt to hide the guilt that she would carry with her forever, but as she took the last few steps to the room that imprisoned her love, she steeled herself against not only the memories that would haunt her, but what she knew would be behind the door.

The guard in front of her took the keys from his belt, opened the lock, and threw open the door. Esme held back a gasp, but then rushed inside. "Carlisle!" She dropped to her knees in front of him. He was gaunt, his skin starting to fester and decay.

"Esme! No! Don't touch me!" Carlisle said forcefully, but barely audible, his head struggling to push itself up until it hit the wall behind it.

"Oh, Carlisle, I…" She reached out her hand to touch his face, but he moved it to the side and away from her.

"Are you alright, are you hurt, how did you get down here?" He asked hurriedly but the act seemed to sap him of strength and his eyes closed.

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm leaving. Aro is letting me go." She answered him as quickly as she could.

"You…you must not go back to the others. He will be watching your every move. You know what you must do now."

"Yes." It was nearly a whimper. She so desperately wanted to cry. She so desperately wanted to wrap her arms around him, to kiss all of his pain away, to stay here with him and rot together.

"Good. Now go, my darling. I will always love you from wherever I am, even it is merely a star up in the heavens. I will always be yours." His head dropped to the side as if…

"Carlisle!" She dragged herself forward between his legs, gazing at his face. He couldn't be gone.

"Go." He whispered. She knew it could be the last time she heard his voice, the last time she would lay eyes on his face, his lips, so she leaned forward and gingerly touched them with her own.

"I will love you for eternity, Carlisle Cullen. You and no other." She whispered to his peaceful face as the corners of his mouth turned ever so slightly in a grin.

She stood up, turned on her feet, and walked away from the love of her life. If she even took one last glance, she would ask to be thrown in with him, to die in his arms, and she knew that wasn't what he wanted, or her family needed.

Esme walked silently in front of Aro as he escorted her through the halls with two of his guards. She had not spoken to him when he had entered her room, nor had her eyes met his as she walked forward past him and through the open door. He didn't want her to go, he would have kept her for all time, bringing her anything she wanted, even more of the detestable animal blood, if she had asked. He would have given her the world now, but he knew even if she stayed, it would never be for him. Everything she had given him, everything she had shown him proved this, and he knew from the very first vision. He knew _she_ knew there was now a reason he was letting her go, and that it wasn't just for where she may lead him.

If she stayed, she would be the end of him, and he would be the end of her.

They reached the last door. He had escorted her as far as he was able, and she turned back to him now, their eyes finally meeting.

"What will happen to Carlisle, Aro? Please, tell me this much." She pleaded, lowering her eyes to the floor as she tried to mask the pain that Aro could now see.

"Carlisle will not be leaving." Aro knew he was stating the obvious, but it no longer mattered. The hardness began to creep back in. He felt it gliding over him starting from his toes, until it had spread over him like an impenetrable shell. "What happens to him is in his hands, and his alone. You can go back to your coven for now, but you will be returning here again, Esme - you, and members of your family. It is only a matter of time." Aro squared his shoulders as the finality of the words left his lips.

Esme glanced up one last time at him, searching for the man that she had known the previous night, the man that had begged her for understanding, for warmth. His words now were like a sword, slashing through her middle, because she knew it was true. Esme knew he would never stop until he either had Edward, Bella, Jasper and Alice with him, or they were all dust.

"Go now." Aro said plainly, without feeling.

Esme tried to offer him a polite grin as she turned to depart, but knowing that Carlisle was still here, knowing that she was being forced to leave without him, she merely nodded.

She stood taller as she walked through the doors. Even though she had believed it was the last time she was to see Carlisle, she now knew she would be back. Yes, it was only a matter of time before she and her children returned, when she and her _family _returned for Carlisle. Either by discussion or by force, it no longer mattered.

* * *

A/N: Um, yeah. *bites lip* Would love to know what you thought.


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